1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to an operation input device including a touch pad serving as a pointing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Devices including an operation input device as standard equipment, are commonly utilized in laptop personal computers etc., for example. The operation input devices may include a touch pad serving as a pointing device. In these types of devices, a user performs various slide operations using their fingertips, the tip of a stylus pen, or the like, on an operation surface provided on an outer surface of the touch pad to move an operation cursor displayed on a display screen, which is communicably connected to the touch pad. In addition, the user may perform a predetermined operation on the operation surface when the operation cursor displayed on the display screen is located over an operation figure (such as an operation icon, for example) to achieve a function associated with the operation figure. These types of operation input devices, which include a touch pad, may be utilized to perform predetermined operational input to in-vehicle navigation apparatuses.
The in-vehicle navigation apparatuses are often operated by a driver of a vehicle. In such a case, the user (a driver of the vehicle) operates the navigation apparatus in when driving. When driving, it is difficult to perform these operations while closely watching the display screen, and thus, a desired operation may not be performed accurately. In view of this, there have been proposed operation input devices that permit a user to perform operation input utilizing tactile sensation (a tactile feel) without requiring the user to closely watch the display screen. For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-268068 (JP 2006-268068 A) discloses a technology by which the entirety of an operation surface is covered with fiber hair, and the fiber hair provided at a position on the operation surface corresponding to the position of an operation figure displayed on a display device is caused to stand up.
In the device according to JP 2006-268068 A, however, the entirety of the operation surface is covered with the fiber hair. Thus, it is difficult to discriminate through tactile sensation between the standing fiber hair and the non-standing fiber hair. Further, the entirety of the operation surface is covered with fiber hair at all times. Thus, an operation performed on the operation surface (such as a slide operation, for example) is not impeded, which makes it difficult to perform operation input to the operation surface of the touch pad accurately. The operation input device according to the related art leaves room for improvement in this regard.